Supreme Court reserves verdict in Karachi violence case

The Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan has reserved its verdict in suo moto case on unrest in Karachi here on Thursday as the counsel of the federation Babar Awan completed his arguments.

A five-member larger bench of the SC comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, Justice Sarmad Jalal Usmani, Justice Amer Hani Muslim and Justice Ghulam Rabbani completed the hearings of the case in Supreme Court’s Karachi registry on Thursday.

The court has directed Advocate General Sindh Abdul Fatah Malik that he would submit day to day progress report regarding the initiative taken by Sindh government against the target killers and extortionists . Similarly the Inspector General Sindh Police Syed Wajid Durrani was ordered to keep the court informed on the situation of law and order and extortion in the city.

Apex Court directed subordinate courts to conduct day to day proceedings of all cases regarding terrorism and announce their verdicts in this regard; adding that reports of such cases would be brought before the Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali.

Court directed Chief Secretary Sindh to fully assist the executive authorities in restoration of peace in metropolis.

The court has warned during hearing that if this fire burning in Karachi will not be curbed soon then it would become extremely difficult to control the situation; just to get skins of sacrificed animals in Karachi people receive slips with threats that give us the hide of the animal or we will peel off your skin.

The Chief Justice said in his remarks that except rule of the constitution and continuation of democracy no action is acceptable, adding that the situation in Karachi is turning worse than bad with every passing day but no unconstitutional step will be tolerated in this regard.

Babar Awan, the counsel of the federation, said in his arguments that including the Parliament all institutions of the state are functioning.

Justice Sarmad Jalal Usmani said in his remarks that except Karachi, work is underway at other places and in US, there is no need of arms’ license and everyone gets his share of rights, why should not it be implemented here as well.

Babar Awan said in his replying arguments that with due respect I would say that the US is not a role model for me.

The Chief Justice said in his remarks to Babar Awan that a government is not formed to mere discuss things in air-conditioned rooms; the situation in city is very bad but you have no time except sitting in air-conditioned rooms.

CJ remarked that Judiciary has buried the dictatorship, adding that in current circumstances if anyone tried to attack on Judiciary then everything would be demolished.

Babar Awan replied in his arguments that since last 29 years the unrest prevails in Karachi.

The CJ said in counter remarks that you do not know that what has been written in reports of IB, Special Branch and other agencies. Why are you not talking about these reports, whether these are incorrect?
Babar replied that government has constituted the core committee for dialogues because constitution says for dialogues CJ added.

CJ said that there is a matter of criminals whether government would continue dialogues with them, adding that don’t politicize the court and tell the solution with in the frame work of constitution.

He added that 1310 people were killed in Karachi and still concerned authorities say it is not their responsibility while all problems’ solutions are given in the Constitution and from day first it was needed that constitutional measures were taken to control the situation.

He added further that if you are ready to take responsibility that no incident of killing will take place in the city, the Supreme Court will reverse its order on suo moto case.

Justice Sarmad Jalal Usmani added in his remarks that never ever a call of strike fails in Karachi; about ten thousand orphan children are living on the streets of the city what have you done for those.

The AIG of Sindh Police, Saud Mirza, informed the court that the ratio of money extortion has reduced in the city and yesterday two money extortionists were arrested while operation is under way against the target killers in the metropolis

The court further instructed that all the Deputy Inspector Generals (DIGs) must ensure that there is no extortion in their areas while the police should inform the court in written about the progress against criminals on daily basis.

During the proceedings, the SC ordered Additional IG Sindh Saud Mirza to instruct his four DIGs to submit a written certificate stating that extortion has been controlled.

The AIG told the bench that the extortion has decreased and we arrested twelve extortionists upon which the court sought written certificate that it has been controlled.

The Chief Justice remarked that the situation is worsening day by day and we have pointed it out many times. Unconstitutional acts should stop now, the CJ said. We want to tell everyone that nothing except the rule of law and democracy is accepted in the country.

The CJP asked Advocate General Sindh Abul Fattah Malik as to what measures have been taken to handle the issue of hides of sacrificial animals.

The advocate general submitted the record regarding issuance of arms licenses with in last five years. Moreover, to Babar Awan’s statement that 300,000 arms licenses were not issued within a single year, Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali reminded him that the assertion was made by his own government’s former Sindh interior minister.
During the proceedings, IG Sindh Police Wajid Durrani said that the current situation in the city was better than earlier, and that several suspects have been arrested.
It is worth mentioning here that on August 22 CJP Iftikhar Chaudhry took a suo moto notice of Karachi’s deteriorating security situation and directed the government to submit a record regarding the ongoing unrest in the metropolis. The CJP on August 26 ordered to hear the case in Karachi from 29th and the hearing of the case continued for 10 days. SANA